“ CURRENTLY, THE MOST SOUGHT-AFTER SERVICES INCLUDE REGENERATIVE MEDICINE, ORTHOPAEDICS, NEUROSURGERY, COSMETIC SURGERY, AESTHETICS, AND MINIMALLY INVASIVE PROCEDURES.”
MEDICAL TOURISM
As a result, patients are increasingly willing to travel and pay for private-sector services that offer efficiency, rapid intervention, and strong clinical outcomes.
A TRULY GLOBAL PRACTICE
Dr Solanki’ s role in Zimbabwe’ s medical tourism journey began with a personal relocation. When he moved from Johannesburg to Harare 15 years ago, his international patient base followed.
“ Previously, patients had flown to Johannesburg from Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, the UK, the Netherlands, and Switzerland to seek treatment. After my move, they began travelling to Harare instead,” he recalls.
This migration sparked a broader vision: positioning Zimbabwe not only as his personal practice base, but as a regional healthcare destination supported by a network of specialists.
“ This naturally led to the idea of promoting medical tourism not only for my services, but also for my colleagues across various medical specialties who could treat these patients,” he says.
Zimbabwe, he notes, has historical precedent as a healthcare hub.“ Zimbabwe was a recognised regional hub for medical tourism in the 80s and 90s before experiencing a decline. We are now in the process of revitalising that legacy.” Many of the country’ s specialists trained and subspecialised abroad – in South Africa, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia – before returning home.“ Their international expertise is now available in Zimbabwe, placing us in a strong position to serve regional and global patients.”
Confidence is central to attracting international patients, and Dr Solanki believes infrastructure and expertise must work hand in hand. At Trauma Centre Borrowdale, internationally trained specialists deliver care using equipment and facilities comparable to those found in global medical hubs.
“ The hospital design, operating theatres, patient rooms, and overall clinical standards meet international benchmarks,” he says.“ This familiarity and quality provide comfort and confidence to international patients.”
“ CURRENTLY, THE MOST SOUGHT-AFTER SERVICES INCLUDE REGENERATIVE MEDICINE, ORTHOPAEDICS, NEUROSURGERY, COSMETIC SURGERY, AESTHETICS, AND MINIMALLY INVASIVE PROCEDURES.”
LOWER RISK AND FASTER RECOVERY TIMES
The services drawing medical tourists are wideranging, reflecting both clinical demand and technological advancement.“ Currently, the most sought-after services include regenerative medicine, orthopaedics, neurosurgery, cosmetic surgery, aesthetics, and minimally invasive procedures,” Dr Solanki explains.
Cardiothoracic surgery, laparoscopic surgery, and advanced endoscopic techniques are also growing areas of interest.
“ These minimally invasive approaches are increasingly sought after due to their smaller scars, reduced pain, lower risk of infection and blood loss, and faster recovery times with shorter hospital stays,” he says.“ Combined with strong clinical outcomes, they are highly attractive to regional patients. Our goal is to become a leading centre in these fields.”
BALANCING LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL DEMAND
Medical tourism is as much about patient experience as clinical outcomes, and cultural sensitivity plays a crucial role. Trauma Centre Borrowdale prioritises multilingual communication to ease patient anxiety. Languages include:
APRIL 2026 / INBOUND SA 85